The latest Dead Spread A++

I think I'm gonna try to be a Jew when I die so I can have a Dead Spread
at least as good as today's. It was a very classy affair with lovely
presentation and appointments. I've never attended a Jewish funeral
and it was a lovely memorial service for my friend's sister. The rabbi
was a young chap and his words were very nice. A couple of the Psalms
read were very familiar and the prayer after the kaddish was some bunch
of beautiful words -- one of the women from school who was there said
she has it and is going to resurrect it and send it to me. If I don't
hear from her within a week or so, I'll contact the synagogue.

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it; a beautiful fruit plate with cantaloupe,
whole strawberries, honeydew, and grapes; scalloped pineapple (I think);
tuna salad; mixed breads; lox with onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The
synagogue is bright and new and their social area is in the front of the
building at the main entrance. The tables were appointed with cloths
and stemmed glasses with cloth napkins artfully folded and tucked in
each glass. I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-15-2006, RIP Connie Drew

Weirdly enough, the only funerals I've ever been to have been Jewish.
Why this is I don't know. When my Christian relatives have died,
they've all been overseas. Anyway, I know the drill very well, and find
it moving. Lo, tho I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I
will fear no evil. Gives me a chill every time, and then I weep.

All those tears make the endorphins or something kick in, and you
emerge from the graveyard very hungry. Wash the hands with the ritual
ewer, then eat!

Works for me.

Leila

Weirdly enough, the only funerals I've ever been to have been Jewish.
Why this is I don't know. When my Christian relatives have died,
they've all been overseas. Anyway, I know the drill very well, and find
it moving. Lo, tho I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I
will fear no evil. Gives me a chill every time, and then I weep.

All those tears make the endorphins or something kick in, and you
emerge from the graveyard very hungry. Wash the hands with the ritual
ewer, then eat!

Works for me.

Leila

Barb said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it

Might that have been potato kugel? Here's a typical recipe:

Potato Kugel

6 medium potatoes
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 C flour (+-)
1 onion
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of white pepper
4 tbsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel potatoes and grate them finely. Squeeze out
excess liquid. Grate onions into the potato pulp. Add beaten eggs, salt and
enough flour to make a batter that will drop from a spoon. Melt shortening
and then fold into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square
baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes until nicely browned and crisp at the edges.
May be served with Applesauce.

Bob

Barb said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it

Might that have been potato kugel? Here's a typical recipe:

Potato Kugel

6 medium potatoes
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 C flour (+-)
1 onion
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of white pepper
4 tbsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel potatoes and grate them finely. Squeeze out
excess liquid. Grate onions into the potato pulp. Add beaten eggs, salt and
enough flour to make a batter that will drop from a spoon. Melt shortening
and then fold into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square
baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes until nicely browned and crisp at the edges.
May be served with Applesauce.

Bob

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
<snipped>

Quoted message said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it; a beautiful fruit plate with cantaloupe,
whole strawberries, honeydew, and grapes; scalloped pineapple (I think);
tuna salad; mixed breads; lox with onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The
synagogue is bright and new and their social area is in the front of the
building at the main entrance. The tables were appointed with cloths
and stemmed glasses with cloth napkins artfully folded and tucked in
each glass. I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-15-2006, RIP Connie Drew

Sorry for your loss.

Was this an organized spread? Or contributions by family and friends?
Sure sounds like a good one.

Elaine, too

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
<snipped>

Quoted message said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it; a beautiful fruit plate with cantaloupe,
whole strawberries, honeydew, and grapes; scalloped pineapple (I think);
tuna salad; mixed breads; lox with onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The
synagogue is bright and new and their social area is in the front of the
building at the main entrance. The tables were appointed with cloths
and stemmed glasses with cloth napkins artfully folded and tucked in
each glass. I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-15-2006, RIP Connie Drew

Sorry for your loss.

Was this an organized spread? Or contributions by family and friends?
Sure sounds like a good one.

Elaine, too

In article
<[email hidden]>,
Elaine Parrish <[email hidden]> wrote:
(snipped)

Quoted message said:

Was this an organized spread? Or contributions by family and friends?
Sure sounds like a good one.

Elaine, too

Clearly catered. Catering staff (one woman, anyway) meandered through
the tables to see if we needed anything, if everything was all right.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-27-2006, The Best Dead Spread Yet

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bob Terwilliger' virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz said:

Potato Kugel

6 medium potatoes
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 C flour (+-)
1 onion
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of white pepper
4 tbsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel potatoes and grate them finely. Squeeze out
excess liquid. Grate onions into the potato pulp. Add beaten eggs, salt and
enough flour to make a batter that will drop from a spoon. Melt shortening
and then fold into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square
baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes until nicely browned and crisp at the edges.
May be served with Applesauce.

Bob

This was not like that. If I'd seen one other camera out I would have
taken a picture. What I ate had sliced potato in it. What kind of
struck me is that the two dishes - the pineapple one being the other -
were rather similar in appearance -- both having that eggy custardy look.

Question re the kugel above: I don't have a box grater like my mom had.
When I make potato pancakes I shred them finely in the fp then chop the
shreds with the steel blade, creating the kind of potato mush that
you're describing -- any clue if what I'm doing results in a substantial
difference from grating the whole potatoes?
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-27-2006, The Best Dead Spread Yet

Melba's Jammin said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,
Elaine Parrish <[email hidden]> wrote:
(snipped)

Quoted message said:

Was this an organized spread? Or contributions by family and friends?
Sure sounds like a good one.

Elaine, too

Clearly catered. Catering staff (one woman, anyway) meandered through
the tables to see if we needed anything, if everything was all right.

That may well have been whitefish salad. Could have been tuna, but
whitefish salad is common among my peeps.

Boron

Great description of the spread, Barb, but one line really bothers me:

Quoted message said:

I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Didn't SEE it? Did you LOOK for it? Did you ASK? We need an explanation.

Felice

In article <[email hidden]>,
Boron Elgar <[email hidden]> wrote:
(comment about tuna salad deleted)

Quoted message said:

That may well have been whitefish salad. Could have been tuna, but
whitefish salad is common among my peeps.

Boron

OK, thanks. My recollection is that it didn't taste tuna-y.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-27-2006, The Best Dead Spread Yet

Bob Terwilliger said:

Barb said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it

Might that have been potato kugel? Here's a typical recipe:

Potato Kugel

<snippity snip>

So that's what a kugel is? it's a big, oven baked latke? I like
latke, I like fritatta... so I'll like kugel! Thanks for the recipe.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

Melba's Jammin said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it; a beautiful fruit plate with cantaloupe,
whole strawberries, honeydew, and grapes; scalloped pineapple (I think);
tuna salad; mixed breads; lox with onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The
synagogue is bright and new and their social area is in the front of the
building at the main entrance. The tables were appointed with cloths
and stemmed glasses with cloth napkins artfully folded and tucked in
each glass. I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.

Regardless of religion, or the quality of the food, I think all this
talk about "Dead Spreads" is a bit ghoulish, considering the "Guest of
Honor" is no longer around to enjoy it.

--
Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 09:05:50 -0800, sf <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Bob Terwilliger said:

Barb said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it

Might that have been potato kugel? Here's a typical recipe:

Potato Kugel

<snippity snip>

So that's what a kugel is? it's a big, oven baked latke? I like
latke, I like fritatta... so I'll like kugel! Thanks for the recipe.

Kugel can be made with potato, rice, noodles or matzoh...you take a
carb and mix it with egg, fat or fats (butter, schmaltz, oil, cheese,
cottage cheese, sour cream, etc) depending on it being a dairy or meat
meal) and then jazz it to sweet or savory, depending on what you want.

I was always of the idea that kugel meant pudding.

Boron

cathyxyz said:

Melba's Jammin said:

The Dead Spread:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.

Regardless of religion, or the quality of the food, I think all this
talk about "Dead Spreads" is a bit ghoulish, considering the "Guest of
Honor" is no longer around to enjoy it.

You've never been to a gathering (featuring food and drink) hosted by
the family after a funeral? To me, Barb's "Dead Spread" (I'm
assuming she made up the term) is the Jewish version of an Irish wake.
I'll put on my own version someday too. 🙂 Life goes on after you're
gone; so why not have one last party as your send off?
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

cathyxyz said:

Melba's Jammin said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it; a beautiful fruit plate with cantaloupe,
whole strawberries, honeydew, and grapes; scalloped pineapple (I think);
tuna salad; mixed breads; lox with onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The
synagogue is bright and new and their social area is in the front of the
building at the main entrance. The tables were appointed with cloths
and stemmed glasses with cloth napkins artfully folded and tucked in
each glass. I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.

Regardless of religion, or the quality of the food, I think all this
talk about "Dead Spreads" is a bit ghoulish, considering the "Guest of
Honor" is no longer around to enjoy it.

It is a chance for family and friends to relax and talk. Maybe
recollections about the deceased or just a chance to see and talk to
people you have not seen in a long time. Families are so spread out
that it seems to take a funeral to get them together.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

In article <[email hidden]>,

cathyxyz said:

Melba's Jammin said:

The Dead Spread: Something on the order of a frittata or baked eggy
dish - it had potatoes in it; a beautiful fruit plate with cantaloupe,
whole strawberries, honeydew, and grapes; scalloped pineapple (I think);
tuna salad; mixed breads; lox with onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The
synagogue is bright and new and their social area is in the front of the
building at the main entrance. The tables were appointed with cloths
and stemmed glasses with cloth napkins artfully folded and tucked in
each glass. I think there was a dessert table but I didn't see it.

Enough already. Rest in peace, Barbie.

May her memory be eternal!

Barb, I very sorry to hear of your recent losses.

Quoted message said:

Regardless of religion, or the quality of the food, I think all this
talk about "Dead Spreads" is a bit ghoulish, considering the "Guest of
Honor" is no longer around to enjoy it.

Mileage on this definitely varies. As one of the church ladies in the
kitchen, the phrase makes me snort coffee out my nose.

It is, indeed, a fact of life that the Dear Departed won't be around for
the funeral reception. I have been comforted in my mourning times to
think that the DD had a sendoff lunch s/he would have enjoyed, had s/he
been still eating with us.

(After reading "Being Dead is No Excuse", I almost want to move to the
South. They know how to do funeral receptions.)

Charlotte
http://loveandcooking.blogspot.com

--

cathyxyz said:

Regardless of religion, or the quality of the food, I think all this
talk about "Dead Spreads" is a bit ghoulish, considering the "Guest of
Honor" is no longer around to enjoy it.

No way... if and when I go I WANT to know people to enjoyed a meal and
perhaps memories of me. I like food and I like to cook... lemme send
them off well fed while they send me off.